February 18, 2026
A roundup of local and international news.
Newsroom, 18.02.2026, 13:55
WEATHER – Dozens of vehicles were covered in snow and over 170 trees fell due to heavy snowfalls that hit Romania starting Tuesday evening. According to the Department for Emergencies, 100 localities in 21 counties in the south, southeast and east of the country were affected, including the capital Bucharest, where public transport was seriously disrupted. Sectors of highways and national roads are partially closed. All flights from the “Henri Coandă” Airport in the capital were delayed this morning, while five aircraft were diverted to other airports. 20 trains connecting Bucharest with cities in the south and southeast were canceled. On the Ploieşti – Bucharest route, rail traffic was suspended due to trees fallen on the railway. Also, all the Black Sea ports in Constanta are closed, and in Tulcea, maneuvers on the Sulina Canal of the Danube are suspended. Tens of thousands of people have been left without electricity. In-person classes are also suspended in many schools in the south.
MAGISTRATES – The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) rejected, on Wednesday, the notification of the High Court of Cassation and Justice regarding the Government’s project to reform the pensions of magistrates and established that the normative act is constitutional. The CCR made this decision after postponing it, so far, five times. The normative act provides for the gradual increase of the retirement age of judges and prosecutors to 65 years, and the amount of the pension cannot exceed 70% of the net salary they receive in the last month of activity. The project had received a negative opinion from the Higher Council of Magistracy, judges and prosecutors requesting that their pension be almost at the same level as the last salary received. The release of a tranche of over 230 million euros from the NRRP depended on the adoption of the law. Last week, the government spokeswoman said it was only a matter of days before Romania would be officially informed by Brussels whether it had lost the tranche that depended on this reform.
BOARD OF PEACE – Romanian President Nicușor Dan was in the Radio Romania News studio, where he gave an interview. He said that he decided to participate in Washington, in the first meeting of the Board of Peace, established by US President Donald Trump, because the presence as an observer was in Romania’s interest. Nicușor Dan specified that he made this decision after several days of discussions with the American side, in which he requested clarifications regarding what a state that is not a member, but which resonates with the direction of this organization, can do. On the other hand, the head of state said that Romania maintains a pro-Western direction, has reduced its deficit, and there are no longer any concerns from investors and rating agencies. At the same time, he announced that he would soon make a decision regarding the appointment of the heads of the intelligence services.
ADMINISTRATION – Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said in an interview on the public television that the public administration reform and the economic recovery plan would be adopted at the beginning of next week, after the government coalition reached a consensus after almost six months. The administrative reform will be adopted by emergency order. Bolojan said that the 10% cut in salary expenses in public institutions will not apply to the ministries of the Interior, Defense, Health and Culture. Institutions that have already cut expenses will also be exempted, including a third of local administrations. The Prime Minister also said that the only goal will be to cut expenditure in institutions with too many employees.
BANK – The Governor of the National Bank of Romania (BNR), Mugur Isarescu, holds a press conference today to present the new Quarterly Inflation Report. The Board of Directors of the BNR decided, on Tuesday, to maintain the monetary policy interest rate at 6.50% per year.
OLYMPICS – Athletes Mihai Cristian Tentea and George Iordache achieved Romania’s best result at the Winter Olympics in the last 34 years, 5th place in the men’s bobsleigh event, on Tuesday evening, in Milan-Cortina, northern Italy. The Romanians were registered with a cumulative time of 3 min 42 sec 37/100, this being the best Romanian result at the Winter Olympics after 1992 (Albertville, France), when Ioan Apostol and Liviu Cepoi took fourth place in the men’s double luge event. Romania’s only medal at the Winter Olympics was the bronze won in the men’s bobsleigh event, by Ion Panţuru and Nicolae Neagoe, in 1968, in Grenoble, also in France. (EE)
